Composite construction members



Jan. 25, '1 93. G. F. KOTRBATY COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION MEMBERS Original Filed Nov. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 M w M H 0 2- 1. a Z Z l W E w /.m Q a In W. 7. m. h a 2 2 n H M M. 2 3

INVENTOR Guy F. Kofrbatg ATTORNEYS 2 sh ets-s heet 2 G. F. KOTRBATY cfiPosITE CONSTRUCTION MEMBERS ori inu Filed Nov. 17, 1933 Jan. 25, 1938.

INVENTOR Guy F. Kofrbatg Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNETE ST'l' 'lNT FFIQE Guy l Kotrbaty, New York, N. Y., assignor to lFer-Con Gorporation. Bryn Mawr, Pa, a corporation of Delaware ()rlginal application November 1'7, 1933. Serial No.

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to building construction members and composite stud and key members associated therewith.

This invention is a division of my application Serial No. 698,433, filed Nov. 17, 1933, for Secur ing members for self supporting structural building units, Patent No. 2,017,441 of October 15, 1935, which patent is a continuation in part of my prior Patent No. 1,965,601 of July 10, 1934, filed June 4, 1929, which patent is in its turn a division of my Patent No. 1,877,898 of September 20, 1932, filed July 27, 1928.

The specific details of my improvements hav ing been set forth in the application. above referred to, they will be presented here solely for the purpose of establishing the cooperative rela tionship between the several features, in order to more clearly illustrate the patentable novelty of the several parts in their specific structures and in their combinations as previously set forth.

The examples shown are given merely by way of example, for since the underlying principles may be incorporated in their specific structures, it is not intended to limit the constructions to the forms shown, except as such limitations are clearly imposed by the appended claims.

In the drawings like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a key member;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the key of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a pair of abutting grid members having keying post sections, keyed together by the key member of 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the joint structure of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective, partly in plan view, of a composite joint construction;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a side wall keying member, and

Fig. '7 is a plan View partly in section, of abutted and joined walls, including the composite stud and key members herein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improvements of the present invention include novel keying and batten strip or filler and stud members, designated generally by the numeral i0, associated with bulbous post and key members, designated generally by the numeral 29, to form composite studding and supporting struc tural joints for buildings. The members 29, are preferably provided with means adapted to receive and secure Spaced panels 3t, 32 of grid members 36, all as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

Divided and this application July 5, Serial No. 29,820

The structural member In, and as shown in the drawings, will now be described. This member, which is adapted to serve as a composite structural keying filler and batten member, comprises continuous parallel wall sections H and I2 spaced from inner wall sections l3, Id. The inner wall sections are joined by a transverse web member 5 with which is associated parallel spaced web sections it separated by a gap ll. The inner walls l3, M are severally composed of symmetrical wall sections 13a, lSl), and Ma, lib, each terminating in a keying and locking shouldered flange section designated generally by the numeral is, and forming duplex keyways.

The arrangement of parts comprising the members iii is formed, by preference, from a single sheet or strip of metal of suitable composition and of a desired gauge or thickness, depending on the particular structural purposes to which the member is to be put.

Considering the novel structural member 10, in further detail, it will be appreciated that the external wall sections H and i2, together with the mutually inturned flangeportions l8 serve as tension and locking portions of the keying member when assembled for use in suitable composite stud or joint constructions. The keying or stud member IE will thus comprise two structural side portions ll, l2, integrally joined by an intermediate, transverse web member lb. The spaced arrangement of the walls of the member gives a desired resiliency and spring-gripping action and the substantially columnar sheet metal shape gives a maximum structural strength with a minimum of material. To provide a plastic keying and bonding surface, as well as to decrease the over-all weight of the member with out decreasing the structural strength thereoi the panels H and i2 may be provided with punched-out or cut-out portions or sections designated generally by the numeral l9. Metal lath strips or like plastic-receiving surfaces may be associated with the faces. A cut-out 19 may also be formed in the transverse web section l5 oi the member, as well as in the panel or side portion thereof.

The novel stud or stanchion members 20 adapted to cooperate with the duplex keyways of the keying members 10, will now be described. These members comprise a head 2! with lateral bulbs or beads 22 adapted to fit in and mate with the inner sides of the locking flanges 58 of the key member Ill. These post sections are further provided with parallel web portions 22a terminating in flared-out or shouldered portions 23.

The sections 2|, 22, and 23 form a bulbous key adapted to be received in and held by the keyway-forming portions l5, l6, and [8 of the member l0. Parallel terminal flanges 24 may be formed as continuations of the sections 23, and generally at right angles thereto, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 5. Panel members 3|, 32, may be applied on the exterior of the flanges 24 and secured thereon by any suitable means, such as welding or brazing or by mechanical means, including rivets, bolts and nuts, all as indicated generally at 25. Where the panel members 3| 32 are to be crimped in place or held, the sections 26 may be continued to form an S-shaped member 26 having an outer flange section 2'1 forming a channel adapted to receive the ends of the panel members and secure the same mechanically as by crimping or by welding or brazing, or other mechanical means, all as generally indicated by the numeral 28. With this construction it will be seen that the key, stud, stanchion or post members 23 may be suitably conformed at their terminal ends to receive any desired panelling in any manner desired.

The resulting completed grid members 31] will comprise end keying post and spacing sections 20 and associated panellings 3|, 32, secured to and spaced apart by the post members. The panel securing means may vary according to the designs shown. The head portions 2| of these end post sections may be apertured as indicated at its. These apertures may generally conform to the similar apertures in members I0 and thus provide a through-and-through connection between the interiors of the grids 30. Where structural cementitious materials are incorporated in the members 30 for heavy structural purposes the cementitious plastics may flow in and through the interior of the key members I0 into the interior of the grids 30. While the panel members 3i, 32 have been shown and generally designated as being made of reinforced and supported foraminous structural sheet material such as rigid, expanded metal lath, it is to be understood that other structural panellings may be made use of in the constructions here shown.

The novel self-supporting structural building wall units and intermediate combination locking and batten strip members may be apertured, as noted above, to receive and bond cementitious structural plastics and finishes. In addition these panel members and panel sections of the intermediate keying members may be formed of continuous surfacings of any suitable material and preformed so as to permit the erection of walls and buildings without requiring the addition of structural cementitious materials. For various design features and the like the novel keying and joint construction of the present invention permits a wide variety of design features to be incorporated in the constructions. Where desired, the panel members 3!, 32, may be so secured to the flange sections 24 as to come flush with the surfaces ll, l2 of the keying stud member. The joints between the surfaces ll, I2 and abutted panel surfaces 3|, 32, may be made as tight as possible to give a so-called hair-line joint eifect. The crimping sections 26 will ordinarily be used with panellings 3|, 32, under conditions where it is desired to provide an over-lay of cementitious plastic material. The panel surfaces H, I 2 of the members It! may be suitably ornamented to give any desired surface finish.

The post sections 26 of the composite stud and joint construction may be made of fairly heavy gauge metal to provide inherent structural rigidity and strength which is enhanced by the configuration of the sheet metal members. Any lateral weaving of the wall assembly is prevented by the configuration of the stud post and keying members, and the gauge of sheet metal used for the keying member may be varied according to the particular joint to be set up. Thus, in nonload-bearing joints the sheet metal out of which member ID is formed may be a relatively light gauge having suificient inherent strength to permit the panel sections I I, I2 and associated looking flanges Hi to serve as tension members in a joint construction in which the tension is to be applied in the direc ion of the plane of the surfaces of members H and i2. The members l6 are not primarily intended to be utilized under conditions wherein a transverse pull on web member or section I5 is to be effected.

Referring now to Fig. 6 a side wall of intersecting wall keying member 4E3 is shown. This is also preferably a formed sheet metal member of appreciable length and having a head or rail section ii adapted to be'received into auxiliary keying sections 42 of self-supporting grid structures shown and disclosed in my prior Patent 1,968,045 of July 81, 1934, for Building construction. The members 49 are provided further with opposed parallel sections 42, each terminating in flanged feet 43, and the latter in turn, including mutually inturned sections 44, defining an aperture or gap 45 therebetween. In such construction the head or rail section 4| may fit in an auxiliary keyway section 42 and the foot section 33 adapted to fit in and mate with a keying section 46 formed in a structural unit and more particularly shown in my application Serial No. 698,433, filed November 17, 1933, for Securing members for self-supporting structural building units. These structural members thus permit the assembly and erection of flying walls or angularly disposed partition walls, Where desired, and with a minimum of materials and structural costs.

The several keys and associated keyways, whether formed integrally with the grids as ends thereof, or whether formed separately in any desired configuration and later secured to the side panels in any of the ways described above, form composite structural members adapted to serve as studs, stanchions, column members and beam members. The section or thickness of the metal entering into these constructions may be varied, as desired, according to the loads to be imposed on the members and whether they are to serve as vertical supporting members or as beam or floor supports.

Referring now to Fig. 7, there is shown a construction more particularly described in my Patent 1,968,045 of July 31, 1934, for Building construction, in which the grids are keyed together by the different types of keys, as indicated. Certain of the grids are shown filled for insulating purposes, and the like, with insulating material such as mineral wool, glass wool, slag wool, ground cork, asbestos, magnesia, gypsum base materials, sawdust or other solid or pulverulent insulating materials, designated generally by the numeral lll. These materials may be formed into units or blocks adapted to completely fill the interior grid spaces, or the materials may be used in bulk form filling the grids wholly or in part, as may be desired, or they may be made into slabs, blankets or sheets designated, generally by the numeral I I6, adapted to fit into the sides of the grids, and of such a length as to be ill) keyed between the said sides of the adjacent keyway. While mineral insulations have been described, it will, of course, be understood that any suitable vegetable insulant materials, such as sugar cane refuse, corn-stalk refuse, or other such materials may be made use of, these materials being known in commerce as bagasse, celotex and insulite.

The above construction prevents the transfer of heat, makes the walls sound-proof, eliminates the passage of moisture from the exterior of the house to the interior, permits the use of metal and concrete plastics in the Tropics, and makes a vermin-proof house. By providing suitable apertures in the web sections of the keyways or keys, the cross-sectional mass of the metal in the web is reduced to a minimum without reducing its structural strength. This reduction in mass of the web metal imposes a distinct resistance to the travel or transfer of heat through the mass of the web as such heat transfer is essentially a function of the amount of metal available as a heat-conducting path. Such a feature increases the insulating effect between the panels of the several grid members. The usual service pipe and connections ill! may be disposed inside of the grids.

It will now be appreciated that there has been provided improved key members for self-supporting structural building members, which key members are characterized by a variety of forms and high structural efficiency when combined with abutted stanchion or stud members or beam members to form composite structural members which may be readily inserted in place to lock abutted building units in place and to form with the said units, permanent structural members having the maximum of crushing and bending strength yet being characterized by a minimum of weight and a desirably high resistance to the passage or transfer of heat therethrough.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art or without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In composite structural stud members, in cluding end sections of self-supporting building units having tongued post sections formed therein and serving as structural supporting and keying members, H-shaped sheet metal keying members between and in looking engagement with aligned and spaced post sections of adjacent building units, the said keying members comprising panel sections generally lying in the same plane as the walls of the building units and intermediate web sections having flange portions, the flange portions of the said members being adapted to mate with and engage the post sections on the building unit end sections whereby the composite is held as a structural unit.

2. A combination composite wall joint member and structural building unit end supporting and spacing means comprising wall panel supporting and securing members having edge crimping sections spaced apart from each other in generally parallel relation, the said members being converged inwardly to form an outwardly projecting post section, the said post section being provided with a head portion having lateral bulbous portions, the whole being formed of sheet metal.

3. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members, including spaced panel sections, each section terminating in inturned flanged edges, a pair of generally parallel Web members between the panel sections and forming further inturned flange sections with the first said inturned flanged edges, one of'the I web sections being continuous with the panel sections and joining same, and the other web section being longitudinally slotted.

4. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members including spaced and apertured panel sections, each said apertured panel section terminating in flanged'edges inturned toward each other, a pair of generally parallel web members between the panel sections and forming further inturned flange sections with the first said inturned flanged edges, one of the web sections being continuous with the panel sections and joining same, and the other web section being longitudinally slotted.

5. Sheet metal keying members for composite r structural supporting members, including spaced panel sections, each section terminating in inturned flanged edges, a pair of parallel web members between the panel sections and forming further inturned flange sections with the first said inturned flanged edges, one of the web sections being continuous with the panel sections and joining the same, and the other one of said web members having a longitudinal slot therein.

6. A construction member as claimed in claim 5 including apertured panel sections serving as structural plastic receiving and retaining members.

7. Sheet metal keying members for composite structural supporting members including spaced panel sections, each section terminating in inturned flanged edges, a pair of generally parallel web members joining the panel sections and forming further inturned flange sections with the first said inturned flanged edges, one of the web sections being continuous with the panel sections and joining same, and the other web section being longitudinally slotted, the said panel sections and intermediate web sections severally comprising spaced, parallel, sheet sections.

GUY F. KOTRBATY. 

